About the International Program (IP)

The International Program of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) works with colleagues from around the world to find evidence-based solutions to the public health problems of drug abuse, addiction, and drug-related HIV/AIDS. We build partnerships with countries, organizations, and individual researchers to promote new research initiatives, build international research capacity, and disseminate knowledge. NIDA supports the International Program mission because the Institute recognizes that addiction knows no borders, and that no country can solve the problem by acting alone.

The current International Program research priorities are:

  • Substances
    • Cannabis, including:
      • Commonly used forms of marijuana: flower, resin, extracts, purified cannabinoids, and cannabidiol
      • Routes of administration
      • Consequences
      • Impacts of changing laws and policies
      • Potential therapeutic benefits or harms
    • Novel Psychoactive Substances (NPS), particularly:
      • Synthetic opioids including fentanyl and its analogues
      • Other NPS entering wide use
    • Opioids
      • Prescription opioids
      • Heroin
      • Injection and non-injection use
    • Psychostimulants
      • Cocaine
      • Methamphetamine
      • Other amphetamine-type stimulants
    • Inhalants
    • Tobacco and nicotine, including
      • E-cigarettes
      • Vaping
  • Topics
    • Basic research on neuroscience and biology
    • Epidemiology, intervention, and implementation research
    • Recovery research
    • Policy research
    • Linkages between HIV/AIDS and drug use

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